


Gravity Falls

by suyari



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: Multi, Twins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-02
Updated: 2013-11-02
Packaged: 2017-12-31 06:00:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1028106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suyari/pseuds/suyari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Relief comes in all forms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gravity Falls

**Author's Note:**

> Because I saw [THIS](http://floobings.tumblr.com/image/31690389065) beautiful piece by [Floobings](http://floobings.tumblr.com/) while listening to [this](http://phoenix-angel-suyari.tumblr.com/post/31696617329) and inspiration slapped me with a giant fan.
> 
> Disclaimer: Despite my deepest wishes the Young Avengers do not belong to me, and so I can only borrow them.

It wasn't that Tommy was doing it on _purpose_ \- well, okay, maybe a little. It wasn't as if he had an ulterior motive - really, he hadn't. He may not have been one for touchy feely crap. For endless declarations and snuggling for hours on end. That was _far_ more contact than he ever wished to partake in, thank you very much. It was just that...It had been so incredibly _**long**_ since Billy was anything like normal. And as much as Tommy had done his best to ignore it, to let it be, he had been the only one holding on when every one else had given up. Him. Of all people. He still couldn't believe it himself.

When Teddy cornered Billy once and for all, Tommy had zipped up behind them, waited with his back to the wall and his breath caught tightly within his lungs. They'd tried everything. Billy had completely lost interest in life itself and _nothing_ they said or did seemed to have any effect. It was even more disheartening because Billy was the heart of the team. His stupid theories and senseless, absolute _faith_ had kept them together. He'd always known the right thing to say or do, the perfect remark or joke to crack to make it all okay again. Tommy may have been his twin, but they were about as different as night and day - he tried not to reconcile that with their looks, it never worked properly anyway. Nothing Tommy ever said could hold weight with the team. Even when he channeled his brother - consciously or not.

Watching Billy waste away had been the worst kind of torture, and Tommy had known more than his fair share. Nothing compared to being forced to watch Billy day in and day out. Unmoving, barely blinking, slowly growing further and further away, slipping out of their grasp and into the darkness. The lights in his eyes fading away. His smile lost. The way he poked around the food on his plate when his mother forced him to sit at the table for meals with the rest of the family.

Days. Weeks. Months.

For Tommy...it had been _centuries_.

He tried his best to stay positive, but it grew harder and harder the longer Billy refused to communicate. Unconsciously, he began to take on aspects of his twin's personality. Whether for his own comfort, to mend the rift in their family, or some far more complicated reason he hadn't yet bothered attempting to uncover, no one - not even Tommy - could be certain. But as Billy wasted away in form and spirit, Tommy brightened. He opened like a flower closed to the elements, unraveling in the face of the inconsolable loss of his brother. Everyone noticed. Everyone wondered. Except for Tommy.

Tommy moved on like he knew he must. Forward, onward, forever. It was the only direction he knew.

There were days Teddy would just stop. Pause as if someone had pulled a gun on him. Frozen by some response or another that was more Billy than Tommy. More lighthearted, less cynical. He would stare, sometimes his brow would furrow. If it were difficult, he never said. But he began to stare at Tommy almost as often as he stared at Billy's unresponsive form. It was a day like any other that triggered it. One of those new days with the hybrid Tommy-Billy who was masking hurt with nonchalance, but not quite in the usual manner. It had probably been too much for Teddy, because he grabbed Billy by the arm and dragged him off for a chat. Tommy followed. He followed because even after everything, regardless of how much it hurt, Billy was his brother, his _twin_ , the other half of himself - the _better_ half - and no matter what, Tommy had his back. He would protect him. Even against Teddy if he had to.

As it turned out, all Billy needed was a bit of a kick in the ass by way of surprise proposal - and if Teddy thought he was getting away with that without talking to the family about it he was sorely mistaken. Tommy slumped into the wall, exhaling in relief before Ms. Marvel interrupted and Tommy bolted for the living room and threw himself on the couch. He fumbled with the remote as he made himself look casual, heart speeding away. When they came in to inform him, he shrugged, ignored Billy entirely and went to go suit up.

Hours later, after the usual Avengers mumbo jumbo, they were home again and Tommy knew - he _knew_ \- he needed to let Billy and Teddy have their time together. He knew they needed to reconnect, that everything would be okay in the morning if he just let things happen. It was the way of things between them. If Tommy could just go to bed and close his eyes, when he opened them in the morning, Billy would be in the kitchen, bumping elbows and hips with Teddy and his brothers over breakfast. He'd smile and tease Tommy about the amount of syrup he put on his pancakes. He'd pretend he couldn't possibly finish the side of eggs on his plate, maybe his potatoes too, and he'd unceremoniously dump them onto Tommy's plate. Then he'd sit back, lean an elbow on the table, cup his chin in his hand and watch Tommy eat them with a secret smile Tommy always pretended to ignore. All he had to do was wait. He could wait. Of course he could wait.

Three whole minutes was waiting, wasn't it? Three minutes of silence and thrashing restlessly in bed was an eternity for Tommy. Before he gave it any real thought, he was moving. Before he'd even registered the world around him or how incredibly rude and inconsiderate it would be; before he even had a chance to wonder if it'd ruin the natural order...He was in bed between them, clinging hard. Strands of his hair caught in Billy's stupid stubble. Nose pressed to his skin. Racing heart calming at the familiarity. Billy was still for too long, but Tommy knew that was just because he was still going too quickly. And then he shifted. An arm wrapped about him and tugged him close, holding him tight.

"I thought you didn't do hugs," Billy rasped softly.

"Shut up," Tommy grumbled, worming closer.

Teddy slipped close, legs tangling with Tommy's which were tangled with Billy's. His arm cushioned Tommy's head and a hand rested over his arm. "Haven't you ever heard of circumstantial deferment?"

Billy laughed and Tommy wrapped about him tighter.

Teddy's hand slid over Tommy's side and rubbed his back gently. "He can have his moments too."

Billy hummed his agreement.

As Teddy rubbed and Billy rested his head against Tommy's, grip never wavering, and Tommy clung and tangled and basically made it impossible for them to do anything but look at one another, it didn't matter. For once it didn't matter that they were together and Tommy was a perpetually spinning third wheel. It didn't matter that he'd ruined whatever plans - that probably had to do with a lot of nakedness and rolling around and kissing and thrusting - they'd had. It didn't matter that they had nothing figured out, just a lot more questions hanging around their heads. All that really mattered was that Billy was _back_. Billy was back, and everything was _right_ with the world again.

Tommy didn't even realize as he slumped into unconsciousness between them. But the part of him that had learned to pay attention to the world around him while he was asleep - to always be prepared, to be ever on guard for his own protection - caught the rest. As Billy and Teddy snuggled close, trapping him between them. As the light flicked off and bodies eased into relaxed states about him.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

The sound of a kiss above his head.

Soft lips pressed to his ear. "I love you too." A kiss to his hair. "Thank you for not giving up on me, Tommy."

A nose against his neck. "One of these days...You'll let us in one of these days." A kiss that sent wisps of his hair in every direction, caught in the exhale of a sigh. "We love you too, Tommy."

Tommy's body melted in complete relaxation, the small self preserving instinct quieting into rest as their heads met above his, snuggling for a moment before easing into comfort.

"We know."

"We know, and we won't give up on you, either."

"We love you too."

"We love you too."


End file.
